stories of a real life wonder woman

I have been feeling like a ball of nerves. I'm hitting that period before camp when I start to get really nervous and feel like I am not ready. I feel like my mind has been completely emptied of all knowledge I had at one time of what a counselor does at camp. This happens every summer around this time. Add on to those nerves the nerves I have been feeling about getting a job. I have been job hunting and haven't applied to many places yet because even with having my master's by the end of the summer I am feeling under qualified. And feeling like "what have I been doing with my life." Which I know to some of you sounds ridiculous because it's only been one year and ten days post transplant. Which also means I have only been off of dialysis that long as well. So I had a reason to not be doing much. And its not like I need a job by tomorrow but it does weigh on my mind. And though I know people mean well hearing others opinions about what I should and s

I forgot to mention last week that since it is summer my posts might be coming later in the day. Hopefully that will be because of days like today where I am out in the sun all day enjoying time with friends and family. On to other matters. This week I celebrated three anniversaries. One year post transplant on Thursday. Sixteen years post my first transplant today (Sunday). Twenty three years since first getting sick with what is known as HUS - Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome - celebrated today (Sunday).  It is fun to celebrate these days. To celebrate the extra life I have been given. To think about how I should have died years ago because of all the complications but instead I am live today. But it can also be bittersweet to celebrate. As I continually remembered this week as I did a year ago - someone else died. Someone else's family was left aching. While we were celebrating life another family was mourning death. That is always in the back of my mind. And celebrating

This will probably be a short post because I am not feeling good. I was supposed to go down to U of I yesterday for classes today and tomorrow but instead I have been feeling sick to my stomach and like I can't keep my eyes open. So I am at home trying to rest. So I don't have much to say. I am thankful that I don't feel this way all the time anymore. Being sick to my stomach yesterday and tired today made me wonder how I got anything done before when I felt like this all the time. Makes me wonder how I was able to finish so many classes. I know others used to wonder that too. It's odd looking back and seeing how in the right they were to wonder. Cause really who does homework from the ICU and while on dialysis. I got back from AZ on Friday. I did have fun with my family and it was a good trip. I got to spend a lot of time with my grandpa and I always enjoy that. I didn't get to spend as much time outside as I wanted but it was over 110 most of the time th

1st things 1st - When it's 100+ degrees outside I am a happy sunshine baby. I know most people want to be inside during this AZ summer heat but I adore it. I love feeling the heat and the sun on my skin. 2nd - I totally forgot to mention what happened at my doctors' appointments the last two weeks. Mom went with me to see Dr. Sader and joked afterwards that it is like I am so healthy he doesn't know what to do with me. And as some of my doctors have done in the past, he showed us a picture of his family at his oldest child's graduation from 8th grade. And I told him that part of me doesn't want to move from IL because I love having him as my doctor. And he started talking about jobs at the hospital library that I should apply for. I need to look into that more because I am not sure where to look but I think that would be so cool to work for OSF. Love that place! And then he took me off of two meds and told me to eat and drink more. Then at my 1 year post transplan

Sorry I am a little later than normal tonight. I have been out at the cabin again soaking up the sunshine and helping my sister with stuff for her wedding. First things first - I am going to AZ on Friday and will out of town because of that. So next weekend I will be posting possibly poolside. Then weekend after that I will be in Champaign-Urbana because of on campus days for my summer classes. Which means that weeks post might be later in the day too. So as you probably concluded from my mid-week post, I love Maya Angelou and was sadden to hear of her passing. But I have been glad to see so many beautiful post about her. She lived a life of honesty and integrity and I look up to her for that. She has, over the years, inspired me to write the truth with conviction. Thinking of that this week got me thinking about why I write my blog. See I often wonder if I should stop writing or if anyone even reads my blog. But even more than wondering if people are reading my blog I wonder i